Small airways disease

Small airways disease comprise of a group infectious as well as non-infectious conditions that affect the small airways (i.e. airways that are more peripheral to the main bronchi and proximal bronchioles (4th the 14th generation) - arbitrarily considered to be those with an internal diameter of ≤2 mm 3).

Pathology

While some authors consider this term synonymous with a bronchiolitis4, conditions such as asthma may also fall under this group 7. There are also many other conditions that can affect or be associated with small airways which include: